Letters Home
by sdbubbles
Summary: The Weasleys are forever receiving letters from Hogwarts about their children's antics - but how is one meant to react? From the silly to the sinister, Molly and Arthur, and Minerva McGonagall, put up with a great deal from the Weasley children.
1. Trolls and Toilets

**A/N: HELLO!**

 **This is my first Harry Potter fanfic, so please be kind! :') it's basically a series of related one-shots, about the incidents that happened at Hogwarts and the letters Minerva McGonagall might have sent to Molly and Arthur about them. There's a bit of humour from both the Weasleys and Minerva about certain situations.**

 **Sarah x**

* * *

"Molly!" Arthur Weasley called to his wife as he came in from a night raid. The owl sitting on the front porch was smart and neat looking, and the envelope it carried in its beak carried the Hogwarts crest. "Owl from Hogwarts!" He took the letter from the owl and watched it fly away into the chilly November air.

Despite it being only five in the morning, Molly was wide awake and stood at the top of the landing once he was in the kitchen. After he placed his briefcase down on the table, he looked up at her, only to find she looked less than impressed. "What have they done this time? For heaven's sake, I'm amazed those two haven't been expelled yet!" she shouted.

There was a clattering from upstairs, and Arthur realised they must have awoke their daughter, Ginny, who was still too young to attend Hogwarts. He placed a finger over his mouth and looked above him. "Don't wake Ginny," he reminded her. He handed his wife the letter, deciding to let her know about it first – whatever it was that Fred and George had done to warrant a letter home as early into the term as the morning of the first of November. They'd only been back two months. Although, that was by no means a record for them. That was two days.

Molly huffed and turned the bacon before opening the letter. She sat down, looking a little bewildered. Whatever it was must have been quite extreme, even by the twins' standards. "It wasn't Fred and George," she sighed, handing the letter to him.

Somewhat surprised, he took it, and read aloud:

 _"_ _Dear Mr. and Mrs. Weasley,_

 _It is my duty to inform you that your son, Ronald Weasley, was involved in an altercation with a mountain troll last night, the night of 31_ _October. Though he escaped uninjured, I feel compelled to bring the incident to your attention._

 _He was found, along with two other first-year students, in the girls' lavatory, having helped to defeat the troll only moments before._ _In the process of knocking the troll out, there was extensive damage done to the girls' bathroom._

 _Your son was both very foolish and very brave to follow such a beast into a confined space, in order to help a friend._ _He has been reminded of the dangers of such actions, despite his good intentions, and was fairly shaken by the incident, and as such, was not formally punished._

 _Yours sincerely,_

 _Minerva McGonagall_

 _Deputy Headmistress_

"He got into a fight..." Arthur began wearily, placing the letter on the battered wooden table at which he sat. "...with a troll."

"So it would seem," Molly concurred, looking quite tired. "I always thought he would be good at school. I mean, I know he's not perfect and he likes a joke almost as much as the twins, but I didn't think he would take things as far as them."

Arthur sighed, and reached out a hand to Molly. All the years he had been married to her, and somehow he was still not used to seeing her distressed by her sons. "He didn't do it for a joke. Ron was helping a friend. It's there in black and white. I'm sure Minerva just wanted to tell us before Fred or George or Percy beat her to it."

However, Arthur saw from Molly's expression that she remained unconvinced. He, on the other hand, was not as worried by his son having a fight with troll as he was by the idea that a troll had actually managed to get that far into the castle unnoticed. That had escaped his wife's notice, and Arthur was somewhat glad for that. Though, Molly wasn't stupid, and it was only a matter of time before she raised the issue herself.

He watched as Molly stood up and distracted herself by plating up his breakfast, which felt more like dinner to him at this point. The night raids were the pits of his job, one of the only things he really didn't like about it.

But he didn't mind it so much. He had always earned enough money to just about scrape by with his family, for they had things money could not by. He wouldn't have sacrificed his time with his wife and children for the world, and most definitely not for a higher paid job that would deduct from his precious time. Having seen first hand the many ways in which one's time could be cut short, he felt that there were more important things in life than money – something many of his work colleagues just could not grasp.

Arthur knew, though, that sometimes the scrimping and saving got to Molly. Not often, but sometimes. She was, after all, the one who had raised the children for the entire time he was working, and looked after the ones too young for school during term time. He honestly didn't know what she was going to do with herself when Ginny started Hogwarts next year. She had spent two decades raising children as a full time job.

Molly was not work shy, which meant she would keep her nose to the grindstone, as it were, but he did worry that the absence of the children while he was working might make her feel lonely.

It wasn't that he though Molly was fragile or weak; quite the contrary, she was a strong and fierce woman with a heart of gold. But she loved the children dearly, and Arthur was unsure of how she was going to adjust next year. She had only just gotten used to Ron not being around every day. Before Ron, she had struggled with the twins' absence, though he doubted she missed the daily carry on they inflicted upon her.

He sighed quietly to himself, and at that moment, two things happened.

Ginny came downstairs, wondering what was wrong: "What are Fred and George in trouble for now?"

And, another own swooped in through the window, approaching him with another letter that bore the Hogwarts crest.

"Nothing, dear," Molly smiled. "It was Ron. He had a little problem with his friends and a troll. He's fine."

But Arthur was already opening the letter, and was torn between annoyance and amusement.

 _Dear Mr. and Mrs. Weasley,_

 _I must inform you that your sons, Fred and George Weasley, have_ _been disciplined for exploding three_ _lavatories_ _in the fifth-floor boys' bathroom. The incident occurred at approximately ten forty-three on the morning of 31 October, and caused some considerable disruption to school life. As you know, this is not the first time Fred and George have been disciplined for their behaviour._

 _As a consequence of their actions,_ _fifteen house points each have been deducted from Gryffindor's total, and they will serve detention this evening with Mr. Filch, cleaning all male lavatories in the castle by hand._

 _Yours sincerely,_

 _Minerva McGonagall_

 _Deputy Headmistress_

 _PS. You may wish to have a conversation with your three youngest sons about the importance of leaving students' lavatories intact and functional._

Although he knew Fred and George were in trouble again, Arthur could not help but smile at Minerva's footnote; he could hear her saying that as he read it, and it reminded him that, as stern as she came across and as strict as she really was, she had learned to take the twins' behaviour with a pinch of salt.

He handed the letter to Molly, and Ginny, who was predictably reading over her mother's shoulder, and waited for the fireworks. Sure enough, when she got to 'exploding three lavatories,' Molly became furious and Ginny was in a fit of giggles. "Those _idiots_!" Molly exclaimed. "For goodness' sake! What were they thinking, blowing up the toi-" she fell short. Arthur swallowed his mouthful of bacon and watched Molly's face fall into her hands, her elbows leaning on the table. "This was my fault. I gave them the idea when they were getting on the train!"

At that, even Arthur had to laugh. It was so easy to inadvertently give the twins ideas for their jokes and mischief with what anyone with a less creative mind than theirs would think was an innocent remark. He had done it himself, as had just about every member of the family. Percy fell into that trap quite often.

Fred and George may have gone a bit far this time, but it was reassuring that there was some laughter at Hogwarts while they all worried about how and why a troll got into the school. Not that he was defending their behaviour – he agreed with Molly that it was completely outrageous – but it was quite funny. Not so hilarious for Argus Filch, he was sure, but Arthur was sure there were many students who would have found it most entertaining.

"What are we going to do with them?" fretted Molly, while Ginny helped herself to a rasher of bacon. "Sometimes I wonder if it's their mission in life to destroy that castle floor by floor!"

Arthur shook his head, and he replied, "No, Molly, their mission in life is to make people smile."


	2. Saving the Stone

**A/N: So, I'm sorry for the delay - I've been planning my move to Ireland, amongst other things, so I don't have a lot of time.**

 **Thank you to everyone who has read and reviewed the first chapter!  
**

 **Sarah x**

* * *

"Albus," Minerva McGonagall began briskly. "I don't think even I can explain this to Molly and Arthur Weasley, or the Grangers or the Dursleys, in a letter," she admitted. How was she meant to put into writing the events Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley had just endured? She only wished she had taken them more seriously when they had attempted to tell her that the Philosopher's Stone was in danger. On the other hand, though, it seemed Potter's presence had been instrumental in preventing He Who Must Not Be Named retrieving the Stone.

However, they were first-years, and Minerva had long since realised first-years often played jokes, or else overreacted. But she should have believed them. She had underestimated them.

Albus Dumbledore turned to face her, having been staring into his Pensieve. "The Dursleys could not possibly care less that Harry was in danger, nor that he escaped with his life. Miss Granger was not injured, and I do not wish to frighten her parents, who must still be confused by the existence of the wizarding world. It would be best for Hermione to explain to her parents herself what happened, and for her to decide the extent of the details she wishes her parents to know. Miss Granger is a smart girl – she will know what to say," he told her.

"But we have a duty of _care_ , Albus!" Minerva argued.

"That is why I would like you to send Mr. and Mrs. Granger a first-class letter in the Muggle post, saying that there was an incident involving their daughter and her friends, during which she acted courageously and intelligently, but that she remains unharmed," Albus smiled, infuriating Minerva to no end. "I do not want any of Lord Voldemort's followers to intercept a letter containing any details of what happened with Professor Quirrell."

Minerva sighed. She understood what he was saying. He was right, of course; it would be unwise to alert You-Know-Who's followers to the fact he had just attempted to make a return, if they didn't know already. "And the Dursleys?"

"As I said, they do not care. And, apart from that, they despise anything to do with the wizarding world. It may confuse the Grangers, but it would seem everything about magic disgusts the Dursleys. Judging by his reaction last summer, I fear any correspondence from us may only give Vernon Dursley a heart attack."

Minerva allowed a small smile at that. Nearly eleven years ago, she had warned Albus that she did not like the Dursleys' attitudes, or the idea of placing Harry Potter in their care. "Very well. What about Molly and Arthur? I don't think it wise to allow any of their children to tell them."

"Percy, Fred and George do not know what went on," Albus assured her. "Ronald is still unconscious, and even if he tells them when he wakes up, I don't believe any of them want to be the one to tell their mother about it."

"Not even Percy?" Minerva asked, knowing the Prefect's love for the straight and narrow and everything out in the open.

"Not even Percy," Albus smiled. "On that note, I would like you to send Molly and Arthur a letter to say that you wish to meet with them in the morning. Arthur ought to return from work at around six o'clock, I should think. That is, of course, if has has not been having to put even more hours in than usual. Again, I don't want the Death Eaters to intercept an owl with anything specific. However, I believe they both ought to know that Lord Voldemort seeks to return to power, since their son has befriended the one person he will be determined to destroy."

"Take them here? Do you really think that the Death Eaters would risk their own status in society on the idea that an idiot with no willpower has had You-Know-Who sticking out the back of his head?" It was not her usual diplomatic language, but it was what she felt, and she didn't see that point of hiding that from Albus. In her eyes, Quirrell died stupid. Whatever he had sought, it was not worth sharing a body with one of the most evil men in history.

"No, I would like you to go to The Burrow, Minerva."

Minerva's heart sank slightly. She was known as a formidable witch herself, but that did not mean she wanted to be in the room when Molly Weasley found out her son had been risking his life playing life-sized chess. "Very well, Albus," she sighed. "If I don't return within two hours, Molly's murdered me."

Albus' low chuckle was only halfway amused, Minerva knew. They were both aware of the possibility of an overreaction from Molly. Arthur was not a problem – Minerva had never known him to lose his temper – and she allowed a small piece of her to hope for his presence.

* * *

Molly looked at the clock and saw Arthur's hand switch to "travelling;" finally, he was released from work. These hours were driving her crazy. Nonetheless, she guided half a packet of bacon into a pan, and two eggs into a second, and looked around to make sure everything was in order. After all, she did not wish to invite Minerva McGonagall into an untidy home. She glanced at the spoon stirring the gently heating porridge to make sure it wasn't splattering.

Molly read over the letter again. Whatever line Ron had crossed this time, she was going to make sure he never did it again.

 _Dear Mr. and Mrs. Weasley,_

 _As Deputy Headmistress, and your son's Head of House, it is my duty to inform you that Ronald Weasley was injured last night when he strayed into the third-floor corridor with two friends. At this present moment, Madam Pomfrey has him sedated to regain his strength._

 _As I am sure you are both anxious to know the details of these events, I will be arriving at your home at approximately seven o'clock this morning; it is the Headmaster's wish that I explain the details to you in person, as the subject is somewhat sensitive. And, as always, I_ _would rather_ _you to hear it from me than_ _be relayed_ _an account from one of your children, which may be lacking in detail._

 _Lastly, please do not worry about Ronald; Madam Pomfrey assures me he will make the fullest of recoveries._

 _Yours sincerely,_

 _Minerva McGonagall_

 _Deputy Headmistress_

It was bad enough that Ron had gone out of bounds. Even worse was that he had been injured, just as Molly knew Dumbledore had warned them all would happen; Ron had told her about that in his first excited letter home. Fred and George liked their jokes, but it sounded like Ron had actually risked his life. It was a whole new level of craziness to her.

At that moment, Arthur's hand hit "home" and into the house he walked. She took his coat, poured him coffee and handed him Minerva's letter without a word, tending to his breakfast as she did so.

"Oh, Ron, what've you done?" Arthur sighed. "I take it these are the same friends he fought that troll with." Molly turned around with his breakfast in her hands, to which he said, "Thanks, Molly," and stood up to plant a kiss on her lips. Despite her worry, she managed a small smile at the knowledge that Arthur was always going to be there. "She's due in a few minutes," he added, mirroring Molly's own apprehension. Even back when they were at school, Minerva had terrified them both. Molly had hoped her presence in their lives would encourage her sons to behave themselves, but apparently not.

However, Molly and Arthur both knew full well that Minerva was not as stern as she liked to present herself to be. She cared deeply for the youngsters in her care, and would defend them to the hilt if they needed it. The fact that her letter carried no tone of anger spoke volumes to Molly – it told her that Ron might have been foolish, but he had not acted in any truly dishonourable way.

The clock struck seven and, predictably, there was a sharp rap at the door. Minerva always was punctual.

* * *

Minerva knocked on the Weasleys' front door, making sure she was not too loud – she knew there was still Ginny Weasley living here, and she was aware that no ten-year-old liked being disturbed this early in the morning. Molly answered it and ushered Minerva in, taking her cloak and telling her, "Please keep your voice down. Ginny's still sleeping. I want to leave her another hour." Minerva smiled slightly and nodded, finding herself guided to the kitchen table.

She looked around her in a slight awe; they were not a wealthy family, but what they achieved with what little they had was impressive.

When she sat down, a steaming bowl of porridge, a salt canister and a teapot and cup were put in front of her. She had not been expecting that; she had, of course, foregone breakfast to travel here and return to Hogwarts for her first period fourth-year class. What she hadn't counted on was Molly realising this and acting on it.

Feeling it would be impolite to refuse Molly's efforts, she smiled slightly and said, "Thank you, Molly."

Molly beamed at her and sat down with her own bowl, but her smile did not fool Minerva. Molly was worried, and she could not truly hide it. Minerva knew that face, and Arthur's too – she had taught them both, and she knew when they were lying and when they were distressed, and right now, both applied to Molly.

"Right," Minerva said, taking a sip of her hot tea. "I need you to listen to me, very carefully. No interruptions, no histrionics." She eyed both Molly and Arthur expectantly, just as she had done when they were children; they were quick to agree to her conditions. "You do not know this, but since last summer, Nicolas Flamel's Philosopher's Stone has been hidden within the castle. Until now, of course. Ron, along with two friends, deduced that the Stone was in danger of being stolen and taken into the wrong hands.

"The three of them attempted to tell me this, and I, of course, dismissed them. I thought they must be havering. For that, I am very sorry. If I had listened to them, this may have been avoided."

She did not believe in not owning up to her mistakes, particularly to those affected by the mistakes she made. "As long as Ron and his friends are alright, I'm sure we can forgive you," Arthur kindly smiled at her.

Minerva nodded and continued, "The Stone was protected by an assortment of obstacles, including Devil's Snare, an enchanted life-sized chess game, a task of agility, a riddle of logic and one final question of morality.

"It was during the chess game that Ron was injured. According to the friend who raised the alarm, he sacrificed himself to win the game and allow access for his friends to retrieve the Stone before it fell into the wrong hands. His actions, though a little reckless, perhaps, were courageous and honourable. On that front, I could not be prouder of him," she admitted, feeling colour rise into her cheeks as it always did when she expressed her personal feelings.

Molly was predictably shocked, and Arthur had his hand on his wife's shoulder. "But he's going to be OK?" Molly quietly asked. This was not the reaction Minerva had been expecting. Was it possible that she had just managed to shock the woman quiet?

"I am reliably informed that he will be absolutely fine," Minerva reassured her. Molly and Arthur's relief was obvious as it filled the air of the warm and comforting kitchen. "However, Professor Dumbledore wishes me to discuss the matter of who it was they prevented laying hands on the Stone. You see, it seems, unbeknownst to the rest of us, that He Who Must Not Be Named has been sharing a body with Professor Quirrell. It's old magic. It seems he's been drinking unicorn blood to sustain himself. Quirrell – the idiot – perished and You-Know-Who showed his usual appreciation and left him to die when he knew he wasn't getting the Stone."

"Dumbledore was right all along," Arthur muttered. "He was never dead."

"That appears to be the case."

There was a thoughtful pause, each person lost in their own thought, and Minerva took the opportunity to eat some of what she had to now call her breakfast.

"Why are you telling us this?" Molly asked, her voice very low as she made sure her daughter heard none of this. "Surely that's something you would want to keep quiet."

Minerva shifted uncomfortably. "Well, under normal circumstances, yes, we would not broadcast the matter. However, Ronald has befriended Harry Potter, and Professor Dumbledore believes you should have your eyes open. He believes that He Who Must Not Be Named wants a return to his former power, and that he will be determined to take Potter's life. Your son and Harry Potter are almost inseparable. They and Miss Granger are somewhat of a little gang unto themselves."

Arthur and Molly shared a look, and Minerva watched as they made their decision without even speaking. Even as teenagers, they had been so attuned to one another; it was quite fascinating to Minerva. "Well," Molly finally said, "there's no way Ron will ever ditch his friends, especially not on our say-so. But I would appreciate it if you would look out for him at Hogwarts."

Minerva looked down into her porridge and allowed herself another mouthful while she pondered her reply. She loathed to display softness, but they needed the reassurance. Once she swallowed, she looked up and said to them, "I already do. I look out for all my students, protect them, care for them, and they usually never know."

"Oh, they know," smiled Arthur. "Trust me." He reached out a hand and placed it on hers, leaving her surprised and touched. Not only did they forgive her mistake of failing to take their son's claims seriously, but they were embracing her in a way she could not have foreseen.

"Eat up," beamed Molly. "We can't have you controlling teenage torments on an empty stomach, now, can we?"

* * *

 **Please feel free to tell me what you think!  
Sarah x**


	3. An Unorthodox Fashion

**A/N: Thanks to everyone who has read and reviewed so far. This chapter is set after Harry and Ron have the bright idea of flying the car to Hogwarts.**

 **Sarah x**

* * *

"I'm going to kill him," snarled Molly, glaring at the letter she had just read. Arthur, still in the dark about whatever it was that had enraged his wife (though he suspected it was in connection to his own enchanted Ford Anglia, which was currently missing), gently took the letter into his hands and read it carefully.

 _Dear Mr and Mrs Weasley,_

 _As I am head of Gryffindor house, in which your son, Ronald, is placed, it is my obligation to inform you that he missed the train to Hogwarts, which had been due to leave at eleven o'clock this morning._

 _However, he did arrive safely at Hogwarts, albeit it very late and certainly in an unorthodox fashion. Having realised that he had missed the train to school, it seems that Ronald deemed it a wise and intelligent course of action to fly an enchanted car from London to Hogwarts; I do not need to remind you of the considerable distance between the two destinations. The car is described as a blue Ford Anglia, and it would appear that a number of Muggles witnessed the car in the skies of England and Scotland today. It was reckless,_ _irresponsible_ _and foolhardy of your son not to wait for you to return from Platform Nine_ _and Three-Quarters,_ _and even more so to put himself in danger and at risk of being exposed to Muggles._

 _In addition to the initial journey, Ronald managed to crash the car into the Whomping Willow, to which he caused some damage. He sustained minor injuries from the tree, and snapped his wand, but is absolutely fine; he was very lucky in that respect. The car fled the scene and cannot yet be found, but is suspected to be somewhere in the grounds of the school – probably in the Forbidden Forest._

 _As such, he has been punished with detention, which will be scheduled for a time in the near future._

 _I have assured that Ronald understands the idiocy, thoughtlessness and severity of what he has done. Between us, he is lucky he got away with only detention; Professor Snape was very much in favour of expelling Ronald from Hogwarts. However, I'm sure Ronald will be on his best behaviour throughout the rest of the school year, despite such a display of rule-breaking and stupidity on the first day of term._

 _Yours sincerely,_

 _Minerva McGonagall_

 _Deputy Headmistress_

 _P.S. Just for your own information, I thought you would like to know that Ronald has broken a family record. Fred and George's record for their first misdemeanour of a school year is four hours and thirty-six minutes. Ronald started breaking rules eight hours and twenty-one minutes BEFORE the start of term. Please break the news gently to the twins – I know they are very proud of their position of Troublemakers-In-Chief at Hogwarts. Also, I'm sure you will be pleased to hear that Ginny has been sorted into Gryffindor house._

Arthur stared at the footnote, trying not to laugh, for he feared Molly might actually breathe fire this time. He didn't blame he for being angry – he was, too – but he would react in a totally different way. Where Molly would shout at the children and become infuriated when they misbehaved, he tended to remain calmer and try to understand why they had done whatever it was they had done.

This, however, he could not fathom. He had thought Ron had more sense; the child ought to have known his parents would return eventually, for there had been plenty of other parents and relatives of students – most of who were fully trained witches and wizards – and they would have managed to overcome whatever had stopped them getting onto the platform. Minerva was right. Ron had been very irresponsible.

Arthur could only assume Harry had arrived at Hogwarts by the same means, which didn't help matters when it came to Molly's reaction. While Ron had been unwise to fly the car, it wouldn't have been half as serious if Harry wasn't involved; everyone Arthur knew was trying to keep Harry safe, for most people with an ounce of sanity about them realised He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named was not actually dead and gone.

However, though he agreed with Molly, he could do without the earache. Her rants were something he tried to avoid, and she had been bad enough the last time the boys "borrowed" the car. This time, they had flown across two countries, numerous towns and villages, and the sky would have only been dark enough to disguise them once they had reached rural Scotland and there was nobody there to see them anyway. He didn't need to look at his wife to know how furious she was.

"I'm going to kill him," she snarled again. "Didn't it occur to him to wait for us? That we could have arranged for some other way to get them there? After all that happened last year, and all they went through because of You-Know-Who, and Ron goes and does something like _this_ with Harry?!"

"In all fairness, Molly, Harry is as much to blame as Ron is," he quickly reminded her, knowing from her behaviour over the summer that she had a tendency to let Harry off the hook too easily. "He has a mind of his own. He could have told Ron not to be so stupid."

He felt the need to be fair here. Arthur was rational enough to know that Harry was as much to blame for this as Ron was, but Minerva wasn't permitted to say as much, for he and Molly were not Harry's guardians. But, equally, they were not in a position to reprimand Harry, despite the fact that Vernon and Petunia Dursley were not going to even open the letter sent to them about the matter, never mind tell him off.

Unfortunately, a Ministry owl chose that moment to fly in the window, but rather than drop the letter in front of Arthur, it set it before Molly. Even the owls seemed to know that Molly was very much the matriarch and the chief of this household.

"The Ministry is going to investigate why you had that car, and how two twelve-year-old boys managed to get their hands on it," she informed him, again sounding furiously. Arthur took the letter from her and scanned his eyes over it, Only taking in words like _inquiry_ , _law_ , _misuse_ and _investigation_. Those words alone told him all he needed to know.

When he sat down, he was tired by this fiasco already. To make matters worse, he was alarmed to find his wife already in the process of writing a Howler. "Is that really necessary?" he quickly asked her. "Don't you think detention is enough?"

"No," she snapped. "He's getting too much like Fred and George. Detention isn't enough. Maybe a little bit of public humiliation is exactly what he needs."

"And maybe," Arthur reasoned evenly, "they are already very sorry for what they've done and Ron doesn't need a Howler to tell him he acted like an idiot."

But Molly was hell bent on it, and Arthur knew there was no stopping her, no matter how hard he tried. Instead of attempting to halt his wife's fury, he settled down and decided to write a reply to Minerva. The occasion a few months ago, when they had had breakfast together, had been one of the first times he had seen the professor in a very long time. He had forgotten how he had enjoyed knowing her, and how funny she could be, even if her wit was bone dry.

That, and he felt he ought to warn her that there might be animosity between his children and Draco Malfoy, after that run-in in Flourish and Blotts.

 _Dear Minerva,_

 _I am very sorry and alarmed to hear about Ron's methods of arriving at school. Molly is dealing with him as I write this. You'll probably hear her reaction at breakfast in the morning._

 _I'm afraid Ron will just have to repair his wand as best he can for the moment. It's his own fault it's broken anyway. I'm glad he's alright, though, and I hope he doesn't cause you any more bother over the rest of the school year. I didn't anticipate him being so like the twins, if I'm honest. He's not as daft as that when he's at home. Maybe the eyes in the back of Molly's head_ _have convinced him to behave himself at home._

 _Probably a bit bold of me to ask a favour at this point, but I'm going to ask anyway: would you please keep an eye on the tensions between my children – and Hermione Granger and Harry Potter – and the Slytherins, particularly Draco Malfoy? They had a bit of a run-in during the summer in Diagon Alley, and I'm a little worried about their relationship at school. Draco seems much like his father, and Ron, Fred and George, and probably Harry, have quite short tempers. Ginny is starting to take after her brothers in that respect, too. I would hate for something to happen to any of them because of some silly argument. As much as Lucius boils my blood, and Draco seems to get at my children,_ _and_ _Harry and Hermione, at every opportunity, I don't want Draco cursed or hexed for being a loud mouth – after all, it was his father who raised him to be that way._

 _Also, I heard Harry telling Ron that a house-elf called Dobby visited him at his aunt and uncle's house over the summer. Isn't he the Malfoys' elf? Any idea as to what the elf might be up to, or why he doesn't seem to have wanted Harry to go back to school?_

 _I hope you have a better term ahead than the hand you were dealt tonight – surely it can only get better!_

 _Yours sincerely,_

 _Arthur Weasley_

 _Father to the children who drive you mad every day._

He smirked slightly before he rolled up the letter and tied it to the Hogwarts owl's leg, since it had not moved from the house yet – Minerva had probably ordered it to stay until she got some acknowledgement of her letter to them concerning Ron.

Molly gave her Howler – which Arthur still did not approve of – to Errol, and both owls flew in the same direction at the same time, though the Hogwarts owl would undoubtedly get to Minerva before Errol reached Ron. "What did you write?" Molly asked him curiously.

"That I'm appalled by Ron's behaviour," he answered her simply, choosing not to tell her that he felt there was any need to check up on their children's interactions with certain other Hogwarts students; after all, the boys and Ginny got their temper from Molly anyway.

* * *

An owl's beak tapped on Minerva McGonagall's bedroom window; she checked the time. After one in the morning. Who on Earth was sending her a letter at this time? Unimpressed, she got out of bed and let the owl in, untying the letter from its leg and letting it back out to go to the Owlery for a well-deserved rest.

She unfurled the letter and read through it, smirking and then frowning, then smiling just a little again. She hadn't known about the house-elf, or the altercation in Diagon Alley. But certainly, she would keep an eye on Ginny, Ron, Fred, George, Harry, Hermione and Draco. She did that every day without being asked, of course, but she would do it at Arthur's request.

So, Molly had sent a Howler, had she? Minerva pondered that thought while she climbed back into bed, and it was with some satisfaction that she lay back down in the knowledge that Ron's parents did not let him off with such nonsense.

It was of less comfort to know that Fred and George were nuisances by nature rather than nurture, but there was no changing them, anyway. So Minerva went back to sleep, and before she drifted off, she made a mental note to investigate the house-elf incident.

Why? Why did they all have to be in her house?

* * *

 **Please feel free to tell me what you think!  
Sarah x**


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